Some methods of fishing include affixing a fishing line to a portion of the fishing rod. For example, “snook” poles have fishing line secured to a handle portion of the fishing rod. Such fishing rods are typically used when fishing for large game fish, such as snook, tarpon or grouper under or around piers or fishing underwater structures from a boat. A limited amount of line is necessary to prevent the fish from running under the piers or underwater water structures and breaking the line. When a fish takes bait attached to a hook on an end of the fishing line a fisherman, feeling the pull from the fish will set the hook in the fishes mouth by forcefully pulling the rod upward.
Typically a fish will attempt to run when the hook is set, or when a fisherman attempts to set a hook; however, such fishing rods have only a limited amount of line, so very little slack is available for the fish to run. Consequently, the fisherman expends a great deal of effort in fighting and landing the fish. In addition, the force applied by the fish on the line, in combination with the force applied on the rod by the fisherman pulling on the rod often causes the line to break. As the line has very little slack, the sudden shock to the line causes it to break. Forty pound to one hundred pound test line has been used on standard “snook” poles and broken easily. Accordingly, a need exists for a system to suppress the shock applied to the line when the fish takes the line and/or fishermen attempt to set the hook.